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A. E. LONG TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM 7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l HUM@ Filed bch 2 AFTIERNUQ i ERTI N'IE l IN MH Louv @wilg/M Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,994

A. E. LONG 9 l TIME CONTROLLED MECHANI SM Filed March 27, 1925 A3 Sheets-Sheet. 2

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A. E. LONG TIME CTROLLED MECHANISM Filed March 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

siren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. LONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STBOIIBERG' ELECTRIC COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TIME-CONTROLLED MECHANISM.

Application led March 27, 1925.

My invention relates to time controlled mechanism and more particularly to time controlled mechanisn'i for controlling` a member which is movable back and .torth to cause this movable member to be given a step-bystep movement in one direction and to be returned to its original position.

duch a construction is useful in various relations, one ot them being,- in connection with a workmans time recorder, for determming` in 1what position on the card the record will be made. For instance, it may bc desirable that on the iirst day of the week, all of the records will be made in the first column; that on the second day of the week all the records will be made in the second column; and :Vio forth; and that at the end of the Week, the mechanism will be returned to its original position, so that the cards will again be printed in the first column.

Again, it may be desired that during a certain portion of the day, the records shall be made on the cards in the first column; during` a. succeeding portion ot the day in the second column; during` still another suc- Leerling;A portion of the day in the third column, etc., and vthat at the end of the day the mechanism be again reset to its original position, so that on the following day during the iirst part of the day the records will be made in the iirst column.

rlhe present invention is in the nature of an improvement in connection with the construction disclosed in the copending application ot Crook and Long, 627,574. In the Crook and Iron@ application, the ret-urn of the type carriage to original position at the end of its step-by-step movement required an appreciable length of time. In some situations it is desirable that this return movement should be effected instantly.

One ot the objects of this present invention is to provide for the instant return of the carriage.

A. further object of my invention is to provide improved means orinsuring correct alignment ot the type carriage at the time of printing'.

Further objects will appear from the description and claims.

Serial No. 18,659.

In the drawings, .in which an embodiment ol my invention is shown Figure l is a front view of the mechanism ttor controlling the movement i' the type carriage;

Fig. 2 .is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; showing` the type carriage and the mechanism for controlling its movement;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 olf Fig. l; and

Fig. 4l is a front view showing some ot' the parts or' Fig. l in a different position.

The construction shown is similar to the construction .shown in the Crook and Long application referred. to and is substantially identical with part of the construction shown in the application oi the Crook and Long, Serial No. (3538, filed February 3, 1925, the similar construction comprising the type wheels and carriage and the type carriage control mechanism.

Type wheels amel type @arf/tage.

rFhe type carriage l0 is provided with suitable rollers 1l which travel along the transversely extending guide rods l2. A rack 13 is mounted on the front of the carriage which meshes with a pinion 14 controlled by the carriage shitting,` mechanism. rlhe type carriage has a series ot' type wheels driven from the type wheel gear l having indicia for typing the minute, the hour and the da of the week. These type wheels are shifted periodically to bring` the proper printing indicia into printing condition, the minute wheel being` shifted once per minute, the hom' wheel once per hour and the day wheel once per day.

Type carriage con-trol.

The .shifting oi the type carriage to bring the printing in the proper column on the card is controlled by suitable transmission from the rotatable time controlled cam mechanism.

The mechanism for controlling,` the movement of the type Wheel carriage has provisions whereby the carriage is given a stepbystep movement in one direction and a quick return in the opposite direction automatically. The step-by-step movement can be so governed that the shift from column to column will take place automatically at practically any desired intervals. The construction whereby this is accomplished is substantially the same as that describ d in the cci-pending application of Crook and Long, Serial lumber (327,5ll, filed lvlarch 26th, 1923. It is practically identical with the construction shown in the co-pending application of Crook and Long, lerial Number However, in the aforeaid Crook and Longapplicaton the return of the time carriage required considerable time, probably an hour or more, whereas in the present construction the return of the carriage is etl'ected almost instantly. The periodic stepby-step movement of the carriage from left to rightl is controlled bv a controlling lever 16 pivotally mounted 17 and the quick return is effected by means of a lever 1&5 also pivotally mounted at 1'? and engaging the cam 19. This second cam lever effects the return by engaging the first cam lever and moving it, the second cam lever being provided with a projection Q0 which engages a pin 21 on the first lever on return movement. The controlling lever- 16 acts on the type carriage through an intermediate lever connected to the lever 1G by means of a spring 23, this intermediate lever 22 having` a segmental gear 2st meshing with a pinion 25, with which pinion rotates the gear lil meshing with the rack 13 on the type carriage. ln the ordinary operation of the recorder, the segniental gear lever 22 nieves as a unit with the cam controlled lever 16, the spring connection being provided simply to enable manual adjustment of the 'type carriage .independently of the cam control adjustment. rl`his feature of independent adj ustment of the type carriage is substantially the same as that disclosed in the above prior application of Crook and Long, Serial l'fiumber 627,570 and is effected by means iucluding the pivo'ted arm 2l' and the link LS con nec'ting this pivoted arm with 'the lever The follower end 29 of the cam controlled lever 16 is held in ei'igagement with the adjustable arcuate campieces 30 by means of a coil tension spring 31 connecting the two cam controlled levers 16 and 18. The follower 82 of the cam controlled lever 18 is held in engagenient with the controlling cam by means of a spring` having one end s cured to a lined part of the construction and its other end secured to a pin 341 on this lever.

During` the greater part of the revolution of the cam 19 the follower 32 rests on the periphery7 of the cam, but in order to provide for an abrupt definite drop-olf to insure instant return of the carriage, an additional follower member 35 is provided in the form of the pin semi-circular in cross section secured to the lever 18 and engageable with the cam 19 to control the return movement of the arm. Referring to Figure et the cam is rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow A and will soon disengage the follower' 32. However, the arm will not be returned at this time as it will still be held out by the engagement of the semicircular pin follower However, as the movement of the cam continues it will soon disengage this sen'ii-circular pin also and because of the flattened face of this pin, this disengagement will not be gradual, but will take place instantly and permit an instant return of the arm as soon as the pin drops o'll' the abrupt shoulder.

s this pin 35 drops oil the abrupt shoulf der and the arm 18 moves down until the follower 32 engages the depressed portion of tlie cam, the follower lever 16 will be forced away from the center of the camcarrying disk 3G because of the engagement of the extensionA 20 with the pin 21 on the side of the lever 1G. The movement of the lever 1S will be sufficient to lift the follower point Q9 high enough to clear the outermost one of the arcuate cam pieces 8O so that on the continued movement of the controller cam, this outermost cam piece 8O will ride under the point of the follower'. As the controller cam continues to rotate, the abrupt rise 87 of the cam engages the follower pin and forces the lever 18 outwardly, disengaging the extension Q0 from the pin 21 on the other follower l ver and permitting the point 29 of this other follower lever to enthe arcuate cam piece 30 underneath because of the action of tlv tension spring 31 connecting the two 'follower levers.

During the continued movement of the controlling cam, the point 29 of the follower lever successfully drops oli from the successive arcuate cam pieces 30, causing a shifting of the type carriage at the desired time intervals. These arcuate cam pieces may be adjustable circumferentially in the concentric grooves in the cam carrying disk 36, just as in the prior application referred to.

In order to rectify or justify any slight misalignment which may be present in the type carriage at the time the type hammer lever is operated, justifying means are provided comprising a notched star wheel 3) rotatable with the pinion .25 and a tooth -l-O mounted on a pivoted arm 41 connected with the hammer lever, this tooth being engageable in one of the notches of the star wheel to accurately position the star wheel to cause the printing to be done in accurate alignment in the column. In order to provide for a full and complete movement of the lever which carries the adjusting tooth and also for a full and complete movement of the actuating hammer, a spring lost motion connection is provided between the two coinprising a lever extension 42 pvotally lil lili) mounted on the main lever portion and having a stop shoulder 43 for engagement with the main lever portion, which is held thereagainst by means of thefspring 44. rlhis pivoted lever extension is connected to the hammer lever by means of a link 45.

rlfhe main countershaft 46 is driven from any suitable power device (not shown). The type wheel l5 on the type carriage is driven from the main countershaft by means of a gear 47 mounted on this main coun-tershaft, an elongated pinion 48 meshing with this gear and a gear 49 mounted on the type carriage and meshing with the elongated pinion 48 and with the type wheel gear 15, this elongated pinion being of suiiicient length so that the gear 49 can slide on it and be in mesh with it in any position to which the laterally shiftable carriage can be moved. This transmission is similar to that shown in Crook and Long application, Serial Number 627,574.

rllhe carriage shift controlling cams are driven from the main countershaft 46 bya transmission including'a gear 50 meshing with the elongated pinion 48, a bevel pinion 5l rotatable with the gear 50, a bevel gear ni with a bevel pinion l, pinion 53 rotatable with the bevel gear 52, a gear 54 meshing with the pinion 53, pinion 55 rotatable with the gear 54, and a gear 56 meshing with the pinion 55 and mounted on the same shaft 57 on which the carriage controlling cams are mounted.

`While l have shown but one form of my invention, it is to be understood that l do not desire to limit myself to this particular construction since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departure from the scope of the following claims.

l claim:

l. ln a time recorder, a type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising spring actuated means and cam member for controlling said spring actuated means having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means tensioned during the step-by-step movement for quickly returning the carriage.

2. ln a time recorder, a type carriage movf able back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising spring actuated means and a cam member for controlling said spring actuated means having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-stepmovement, and means tensioned during the step-by-step movement, for quickly returning the carriage and follower.

3. In a time recorder, a type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising spring actuated means and a cam member for controlling said spring actuatedfmeans having a steppen cam por-- tion and a follower engageable with `said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means tensioned during the step-by-step movement for quickly returning the follower.

4. In a time recorder, a type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, com` prising a cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returning said follower to initial position con'iprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independently of said first follower and engaging said second cam member.

5. ln a time recorder, a type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising a rotatable cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follow-er engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling` the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returning said follower to initial position comprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independently of said .first follower and engaging said second cam member, said followers being pivotally and coaxially mounted.

6. In a time recorder, a type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising a cam member having a stepped cam portion and 'a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returning said follower to initial position comprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independently of said lirst follower and engaging said second cam member, and a spring acting on said second follower tensioned during the step-v by-step movement of the first follower.

7. ln av time recorder, a type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising a cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returning said follower to initial position con'iprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independently of said first follower and engaging said second cam member, and means yieldingly connecting said followers.

8. In a time recorrer, a ype carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said carriage to move with a step-by-stcp movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direct-.ionv to its initial position, comprising a cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step n'iovement, and means for quickly returningI said follower to initial position coinprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independently of said first follower and engaging said second cam member, and a spring acting on said second follower tensioned during the step-by-step n'ioven'ient of the first follower, and means yieldingly connecting said followers.

9, ln a time recorder, a 'type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and n'ieans for causing said farriage to move with a step-by--step movement in one directior and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, con'iprisii'ig a rotatable cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follower engagcable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returi'iing said follower to initial position coniprising a second cam member and a econd follower movable independently of said' first follower and engaging said second cam member, and aI spring acting on said second follower tensioned during the step-by-step movement of the first follower, and means yieldingly connecting said followers, said followers being pivotally and coaxially mounted'.

l0. In a time recorder, a type carriage movable `ack and forth to print in dilllerent columns, and means for cruising said carriage to move with a. step-by-step movement in one direction and to move quickly in the opposite direction to its initial position, comprising a cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped cam portion for controlling the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returning said follower to initial position comprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independcntly of said first follower and engaging said second cam member, said second cam having an abrupt drop and said followers having interenoaging means whereby as said second follower slips off the abrupt drop it will cause a quick return of the first follower.

il. ln a time recorder, a. type carriage movable back and forth to print in different columns, and means for causing said cariagc to move with a step-by-step movement in o c direction and to move quickly in the oppositie direction to its initial position, comprisinpa. cam member having a stepped cam portion and a follower engageable with said stepped am portion for cont-rolling the step-by-step movement, and means for quickly returning said follower to initial position comprising a second cam member and a second follower movable independently of said first follower and engaging said second cam member, said second cam having` an abrupt drop and said followers having interengagiug means whereby as said second follower slips olf the abrupt drop it will cause a quick return of the first follower, and a spring acting on said second follower, said second cam having a gradual rise engaged by the second follower during the step-by-step movement of the lirst follower whereby said spring is tensioned gradually during said step-by-step movement.

ln witness whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name.

ALB ERT E. LONG. 

